The Rise And Decline Of The Olympia Oyster 



Perhaps digression would be pardoned should I 

 briefly describe one of the church services held during a 

 convention which I attended as a guest of "Mud Bay 

 Sam." 



The feast of oysters, clams and fish, held out of doors, 

 had been completed; the church bell peeled out the an- 

 nouncement that the meeting was about to start. The 

 crowd swarmed into the church which was too small to 

 hold them all; silence prevailed for a few moments, then 

 the meeting was opened by "Mud Bay Sam". He spoke 

 in a slow, deliberate manner, using the Chinook dialect 

 which was then understood by most Indians. He was 

 followed by two or three other prominent Indians. Their 

 talks implored their brothers to lead a better life; they 

 then waited in silence for the Great Father to move them. 



On a shelf at the front of the church were many hand- 

 bells; directly an Indian slowly came forward, picked up 

 a bell in each hand and started a slow, up and down, 

 ringing of the bells, then an up and down step and a 

 chant in rhythm — another and then another followed, 

 until the entire space which had been cleared, was filled. 

 As it continued it became more spirited — the bells peel- 

 ed louder, the chant stronger and the step became a jump, 

 until the entire building shook. It reminded me of the 

 pictures of a Congo Tum Tum dance. This continued on 

 and on into the night; as one became too exhausted to 

 continue, he or she would apparently go into a trance 

 and drop down. Another would grab the bells and carry 

 on. I was told that as the participant proceeded he con- 

 centrated on the Holy Spirit then he began to see visions, 

 and by the time he became exhausted and went into a 



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